Where to stay on Lake Annecy: which shore and which village to choose?
East shore or west, town or village, hotel or villa: how to choose the right base around the lake.
You have settled on the destination; now for the address. Working out where to stay on Lake Annecy is far from obvious when you look at the map for the first time: a town at the northern end, two shores that catch the sun at different hours, ten or so villages with very distinct characters, and accommodation that runs from a hotel room to an entire villa. The right choice has less to do with any ranking than with your own plans: how many of you are travelling, how long you are staying, and how much weight you give to swimming, to good food, to peace and quiet.
This guide compares the shores and villages as honestly as we can, including those that are not our own. We welcome guests in Talloires, on the eastern shore, and we explain why at the end of the article. Before that, you will find everything you need to decide for yourself: the geography of the lake, the strengths and limits of each area, and then the considerations that tip the balance towards a hotel, an apartment or a house.
The essentials in one minute: where to stay according to your plans
If you are short of time, here is the brief answer. Three kinds of traveller come up again and again among those wondering about the best area to stay on Lake Annecy, and each calls for a different recommendation. The sections that follow then look in detail at the geography of the lake, each shore and each village, before turning to the types of accommodation and the right moment to book.
A weekend for two
Two options are equally good. Annecy, if you want to do everything on foot, wander along the canals and choose your restaurant at the last minute. Talloires or Veyrier-du-Lac, on the eastern shore, if you would rather have silence, evening light on the water and an outstanding restaurant a few minutes away. For two nights, a hotel remains the simplest arrangement.
A week with family or friends
Leave the town behind and settle in a village, ideally in a house of your own. A week takes shape around a place: a terrace, a pool, a kitchen where everyone gathers. The eastern shore offers sunshine into the evening and the most residential villages; the western shore has the cycle path and beaches that suit families very well. From six to eight guests upwards, a villa becomes the logical choice, and Talloires and Lake Annecy then make a base that is hard to better.
Travelling without a car
Stay in Annecy, near the old town or the Pâquier. The station is served by the TGV, everything can be done on foot, and the lakeside villages remain within reach for a day out by boat in season, by bus or by bicycle. Staying in a village without a car is possible, provided you arrange transfers in advance and accept that you will move around less.
Understanding the geography of the lake before you book
Lake Annecy stretches for almost fifteen kilometres, from Annecy in the north to Doussard in the south. Its long shape, pinched in the middle, explains almost everything: the atmosphere, the sunshine, the journey times. Taking two minutes to understand it spares you the most common disappointment, that of a charming address in the wrong place for the stay you had in mind.
The Grand Lac to the north, the Petit Lac to the south: two moods
Between the Roc de Chère on the eastern side and the Duingt peninsula on the western side, the lake narrows markedly. North of this strait lies the Grand Lac, broad and bright, bordered by Annecy, Veyrier-du-Lac, Menthon-Saint-Bernard and Sevrier: this is the most populated and the liveliest part. To the south begins the Petit Lac, narrower and more tightly enclosed by the mountains, with Talloires at its threshold, followed by Angon, Doussard and Lathuile. Here the feeling is more alpine, the shores more wooded, and the peaks drop almost straight into the water. Talloires occupies a pivotal position: its bay looks out at once over the strait, the Château de Duingt and the heights of the Bauges.
How long does it take to drive around Lake Annecy?
A single road circles the lake. It follows the eastern shore through Veyrier-du-Lac, Menthon-Saint-Bernard and Talloires, rounds the far end of the lake at Doussard, then runs back up the western shore through Duingt, Saint-Jorioz and Sevrier. By car, the full circuit can be done in a morning with stops in two or three villages, but the actual time varies a great deal with the season and the hour: we prefer not to quote a figure that would be wrong on a Saturday in August. By bicycle it makes a fine day out, made easier on the western side by the voie verte, a greenway laid out away from the traffic. Above all, remember this: on the map, two villages may face each other across a few hundred metres of water, but by road, getting from one shore to the other means driving round the lake.
Getting around in summer: what to plan for
In July and August, the roads on both shores are busy in the late morning and late afternoon, when everyone is heading to the beaches and then leaving them. It is nothing dramatic, but it does change the way you stay. Choose accommodation close to whatever you expect to do most often, rather than a central address from which you could, in theory, explore in every direction. Set off early for Annecy, come back after dinner, and keep the hottest hours for the pool, the lake or the terrace. Boats and bicycles then become a real means of transport, not merely a pastime.
East shore or west shore: which is the best side of Lake Annecy?
It is the question everyone asks, and there is no single answer. East or west shore of Lake Annecy: both are beautiful, but they do not offer the same holiday. The difference comes down to three things: aspect, access to the lake and the atmosphere of the villages.
- East shore (Veyrier-du-Lac, Menthon-Saint-Bernard, Talloires): west and south-west facing, sunshine into the evening, residential villages, celebrated restaurants.
- West shore (Sevrier, Saint-Jorioz, Duingt): morning sun, direct access to the voie verte, family beaches, accommodation that is often more affordable.
- East shore: steeper terrain, houses set on the hillside above the lake, open views.
- West shore: flatter ground, easier access to the water on foot or by bicycle, ideal with young children.
The eastern shore: sunshine into the evening
The eastern shore rests against Mont Veyrier, the Dents de Lanfon and La Tournette. Its villages face west and south-west: in the morning the light arrives gently, and then the sun stays on the terraces until the end of the day. This is the side for dinners outdoors, late swims and houses built on the slope above the water. The villages are residential, with few shops, and several of the lake's finest restaurants are found here. On the other hand, the shoreline is steeper, the beaches fewer, and accommodation scarcer, and therefore more sought after.
The western shore: the voie verte and family beaches
The western shore runs along the foot of the Semnoz, over gentler ground. Its great asset is the voie verte, the cycle path set apart from the cars that links Annecy to the far end of the lake: families ride it with a trailer or with children on their own bicycles, without ever having to think about the road. The beaches are wide, often grassy, and shallow at the water's edge. Accommodation is more varied and often more affordable: campsites, holiday residences and rentals of every size. The sun is generous here in the morning and through the middle of the day.
From which side do you see the sun set over the lake?
The sun sets in the west, behind the Semnoz. It is therefore from the eastern shore that you watch evening fall over the lake: the light crosses the water, gilds the façades, then fades on the ridges opposite. From the western shore you have your back to the sunset, and see instead the peaks of the eastern shore turn pink at the end of the day, which has a charm of its own. If a drink in the evening sun is part of your idea of a holiday, it is something to settle before you book, and it argues for a south-west-facing terrace.
Where to stay in Annecy: the town, its canals and its limits
Annecy is the natural choice for a first visit, and an excellent one for a weekend. It is also the option whose limits show soonest when you come as a large party or for a long stay. Here are the districts worth knowing and what they really allow.
The old town and the Pâquier
Canals, arcades, colourful façades: Annecy old town holds most of what people come to see. Sleeping there means stepping out of the hotel and straight into the picture. The old town market is held all year round on Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays, from 7am to 1pm, on rue Sainte-Claire: a good reason to choose your dates accordingly. The Pâquier, a great lawn open to the lake, carries the town down to the water. The drawbacks are well known: in season the streets are very busy until late, parking is difficult, and the accommodation, often in old buildings, rarely comes with any outdoor space.
Annecy-le-Vieux and the Baie d'Albigny
East of the centre, Annecy-le-Vieux is a more residential district that slopes gently down to the lake. You gain in tranquillity without straying far from town. The Plage d'Albigny, free and supervised in season, is one of the most accessible in the area, and each summer the bay hosts the Fête du Lac. This is also where you will find Le Clos des Sens, which holds three stars in the 2026 Michelin Guide. To compare swimming spots before choosing your address, see our guide to the beaches of Lake Annecy.
Can you stay in Annecy without a car?
Yes, and it is in fact where doing so is easiest. Annecy station is served by the TGV, and the old town is a walk away. Once there, you can manage without a car: boats call at several lakeside villages in season, bus routes run along both shores, and the voie verte starts right in town. For a group, however, the town has its limits. Large houses with a garden and pool are rare, apartments often mean splitting the party across several addresses, and the noise of summer evenings does not suit every sleeper.
Veyrier-du-Lac and Menthon-Saint-Bernard: the eastern shore, on Annecy's doorstep
Leaving Annecy by the eastern shore, you first pass through two villages that make an appealing halfway point between the town and Talloires. They already enjoy the westerly aspect and its evening sun, while remaining close to the centre.
Veyrier-du-Lac, at the foot of Mont Veyrier
Veyrier-du-Lac is the first village on the eastern shore, rising in tiers between the water and the forest of Mont Veyrier. The properties here are old, often hidden behind tall trees, and the views take in the full width of the Grand Lac, with Annecy in the distance. The village is home to one of the lake's leading gastronomic addresses, La Table de Yoann Conte, which holds two stars in the 2026 Michelin Guide. Visitors mostly stay in hotels or guest houses, less often in rented properties: the choice is limited, and most shops are in Annecy.
Menthon-Saint-Bernard and its château
A few kilometres further on, Menthon-Saint-Bernard is recognisable by its château, perched above the village and visible from almost anywhere on the lake. The village is a lively one, with everyday shops, a harbour and a municipal beach. There is a charge for this beach, which is supervised, from 27 June to 31 August 2026, and access is free for the rest of the year: a useful detail if you are travelling with children. Menthon is also Talloires's immediate neighbour, separated from it only by the Roc de Chère.
Who are these two villages right for?
Travellers who want to keep Annecy within easy reach without sleeping in town. A couple planning to dine in the centre several times, a family wishing to alternate sightseeing with swimming, visitors staying three or four nights: all will find a good compromise here. Those looking for a sense of being at the end of the road, an enclosed bay and a village to stroll through in the evening will go a little further, to Talloires.
Talloires: the most sought-after village on the lake
Beyond the Roc de Chère, the road drops towards a bay that many consider the loveliest spot on the lake. Talloires is neither the largest village nor the most convenient, but it is the one people return to. It is worth explaining why, and saying, too, what it does not offer.
Why is Talloires so highly prized?
First, for its setting. The bay is sheltered, turned towards the setting sun, closed to the north by the wooded cliff of the Roc de Chère and overlooked by the peaks. Next, for its heritage: a former abbey at the water's edge, a village that has kept its human scale, houses handed down through families. Finally, for its food: the commune of Talloires-Montmin alone has two restaurants with two stars each in the 2026 Michelin Guide, the Auberge du Père Bise, on the bay, and the Auberge de Montmin, at the Col de la Forclaz. We cover them, along with the other addresses, in our guide to the Michelin-starred restaurants of Lake Annecy. What you should know in return: the village is small, shops are few, and parking near the bay calls for patience at the height of summer.
The bay, the Roc de Chère and the golf course close at hand
What sets Talloires apart is how much you can do without getting back in the car. The village beach is free, and supervised in the afternoon from 4 July to 30 August 2026. The Roc de Chère nature reserve is explored on foot, beneath the trees, with glimpses of the lake. The Golf du Lac d'Annecy, an 18-hole course laid out in 1953, lies just above. Add the water sports that set off from the bay and the paths that climb to the mountain pastures: our article on things to do in Talloires sets out the ideas, season by season.
Where to stay in Talloires?
Accommodation is limited, which is part of its value. At the water's edge, a handful of historic hotels occupy the finest positions on the bay: they are perfectly suited to a couple or a short stay, with service and a restaurant on the premises. On the heights, between the village and the golf course, a few villas are let by the week. They offer what hotels cannot: an elevated view over the lake, space, and a pool you share with no one. This is the arrangement to favour as soon as there are several of you. In either case, addresses are few and the best dates go quickly.
Sevrier, Saint-Jorioz, Duingt: the western shore
Across the water, the western shore deserves better than the reputation as second choice that is sometimes attached to it. For certain holidays it is in fact the better side of the lake: for families with young children, for cyclists and for travellers keeping an eye on their budget.
Sevrier and Saint-Jorioz, along the voie verte
Sevrier almost touches Annecy; Saint-Jorioz lies halfway down the lake. What the two have in common is direct access to the voie verte and broad, grassy bathing areas where the water stays shallow near the edge. You will find shops, bicycle and boat hire, and the widest choice of accommodation on the lake: campsites, holiday residences, apartments, houses. The atmosphere is simple, family-minded and centred on the outdoors. Conditions of access to the beaches vary from one commune to the next: it is best to check with the tourist office before you set out.
Duingt, the village on the strait
Duingt is the most picturesque of the villages on the western shore. Its old lanes, stone houses and château set on a peninsula mark the passage between the Grand Lac and the Petit Lac. The village is small and quiet, and looks directly across the water to the bay of Talloires. Accommodation is limited, mostly guest houses and modestly sized rentals. It makes a charming stop, and an address to consider for anyone who wants the voie verte without the bustle of Saint-Jorioz.
What to know about the sun at the end of the day
Backed by the Semnoz, the western shore catches the sun early in the morning and keeps it into the afternoon. Towards the end of the day the sun slips behind the mountain, and shade reaches the shoreline sooner than on the opposite side, especially outside high summer. This is not a shortcoming but a rhythm: breakfast in full light, morning swims, cooler evenings. If you are a morning person, the western shore will suit you very well. If your days start late and end on the terrace, the eastern shore will be more generous.
The far end of the lake: Doussard and Lathuile, for nature
At the southern tip, where the lake comes to an end, the landscape changes once more. The plain widens, reed beds take the place of quaysides, and it feels more like the mountains than a lakeside resort.
A wilder mood, facing the Bauges
Doussard and Lathuile spread around the Bout-du-Lac nature reserve, an expanse of marsh and reed bed crossed by waymarked paths. The mood is wilder, and more sporting too: this is where the paragliders that take off from the Col de la Forclaz come in to land, and where many walks into the Bauges and up La Tournette begin. Visitors stay on campsites, in gîtes or in rented properties, at rates that are generally gentler than around the Grand Lac. The area suits lovers of the outdoors who come to walk, fly or cycle.
How far is it from Annecy?
The far end of the lake is the area furthest from Annecy: you have to travel the full length of one shore to reach the town, and the journey grows noticeably longer at busy times in summer. We give no duration, since we cannot guarantee one in season. If you intend to dine in town on several evenings or to visit Annecy more than once, this is not the most convenient location. If the town is for you just one outing among others, that distance is precisely what makes the place so peaceful.
Hotel, apartment or villa: which suits which stay?
Once the area is chosen, the type of accommodation remains. It matters as much as the location, because it sets the rhythm of the stay. The question of where to stay around Lake Annecy is not the same for two people as it is for ten.
The lakeside hotels
A hotel remains the best answer for a short stay or for two. You arrive, everything is ready, breakfast is served, and some of the lake's establishments add a renowned restaurant, a jetty or a spa. Those at the water's edge, in Annecy, Veyrier-du-Lac or Talloires, occupy positions that few rental properties can match. The limits appear as numbers grow: separate rooms, sometimes on different floors, set times to keep, common areas shared with other guests, and nowhere of your own to linger late into the evening.
At how many guests does a villa become the obvious choice?
An apartment suits four people well, particularly in town. Beyond that, the nature of the question changes. From six to eight guests, or when three generations travel together, a villa stops being a luxury and becomes the most coherent solution: a whole house, a private pool, a kitchen, a large table, and the freedom to live at your own pace. The children go to bed while the adults dine outside, everyone has their own bedroom and bathroom, and nobody walks through a hotel lobby. We explore these considerations in our guide to luxury villa rental on Lake Annecy, and the case of larger groups in the article devoted to a villa for ten guests. If being able to swim at home is decisive for you, read also our advice on renting a villa with a pool on Lake Annecy.
Platform or direct booking: what is the difference?
Platforms have the advantage of choice and quick comparison. They generally add service fees to the cost of the stay and place an intermediary between you and the house. Booking direct works differently: you deal with a single contact, who knows the villa room by room and gives precise answers to your questions about the bedrooms, access or arrangements for your arrival. For Lake Annecy luxury accommodation, that precision counts: it is better to know before you come what is possible, what is not, and what needs to be arranged in advance.
When to book, and for how many nights?
Length of stay and time of year change the answer to the question of where. A weekend in October and a week in August are not booked in the same place, nor in the same way.
How many days do you need to enjoy Lake Annecy?
Two nights are enough to discover Annecy, its old town and a first impression of the lake. To experience the lake itself, allow five to seven nights. That is the time it takes to alternate days with nothing planned, a boat trip, a walk in the mountains, a memorable dinner and a visit to town, and for the group to find its rhythm. Any less, and you are visiting. Any more, and you are living there: that is what most families and groups of friends who rent a house are looking for.
When is the best time to come?
July and August are the months for swimming and living outdoors, and the period most in demand. The Fête du Lac, a grand firework display staged in the Baie d'Albigny, is traditionally held on the first Saturday in August: in 2026 it took place on 1 August. May, June and September bring superb light, clear roads and villages returned to their usual calm: many regulars prefer them. Autumn is the season of colour and of good food. In winter the lake becomes an unexpected base for skiing: La Clusaz and Le Grand-Bornand are some thirty kilometres from Talloires, or 30 to 45 minutes depending on conditions.
Do you need to book far in advance?
For summer, yes, particularly if you are looking for a large house. Villas able to sleep eight or ten on the eastern shore are few in number, and the weeks of July and August are the first to go. We give no specific lead time: it varies from one year to the next. The safest course is to ask as soon as your dates begin to firm up. Out of season there is more flexibility, and stays are sometimes decided a few weeks beforehand. In any event, it is wise to check availability before committing to train or plane tickets.
Our address in Talloires: Villa Tomar
We have tried to remain even-handed so far. Here, now, is where we stand: for a group or a family wishing to spend a week on the lake, on the sunny shore, in its most sought-after village, we offer Villa Tomar, in Talloires.
A 450 m² villa for ten guests, above the bay
The villa sleeps up to ten guests in five bedrooms, each with its own bathroom. Its 450 m² are arranged over three floors linked by a lift, on a plot of 1,133 m². On the first floor, the living space and its double-height living room with fireplace open on to the south-west-facing terrace and the pool, looking out over the lake and the mountains. The ground floor brings together a 17 m² cinema, a 32 m² gym and a garage fitted with an electric vehicle charging point. Every room is air-conditioned. The interiors are by Capezzone Architecture: contemporary design, without ostentation. The simplest thing is to see the villa in pictures, or to browse the floor-by-floor tour of the villa.
What you will find less than five minutes away
The lake is two minutes from the villa, the bay of Talloires and its beach scarcely further. The Golf du Lac d'Annecy is practically at the end of the road. The Auberge du Père Bise, with its two Michelin stars, is a few minutes away, as are the departure points for water sports and the paths of the Roc de Chère. In other words, most of what makes a week on the lake lies close at hand, and the car can stay in the garage for a good part of the stay.
How do you enquire about a stay?
The villa is booked direct. Tell us your dates, the number of guests and what matters to you: our team will reply personally. The practical terms of the stay are settled at that point, according to your plans. If you wish, tailor-made experiences can be arranged ahead of your arrival: a private chef, a chauffeur, yoga or massage. These are optional services at extra cost, provided by independent professionals and quoted for separately. To find out about availability, simply enquire about a stay.
